Psalms 34:2-3

DISCOURSE: 550
DEVOTION EXEMPLIFIED

Psalms 34:2. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.

A SENSE of gratitude to God for his mercies will ever abide in some measure on the soul of a true believer. But there are special occasions whereon he is so impressed with the Divine goodness, that he feels as if he never could forget it, and as if he would have the whole creation join with him in his devout acknowledgments. This was the frame of David’s mind, when, by feigning himself mad, he had escaped out of the hands of Achish, who would probably have put him to death, or delivered him into the hands of Saul, his blood-thirsty persecutor [Note: Compare 1 Samuel 21:10 to 1 Samuel 22:1. with the title of this psalm.].

In discoursing on his words, we shall notice,

I. His determination to praise God—

Ungodly men love to boast of themselves—
[There is no man who has not some imaginary excellencies whereof to boast. If we possess any natural endowment either of mind or body, we are forward to bring it into notice, and to arrogate something to ourselves on account of it. One values herself upon her beauty; another boasts of his strength or courage; another prides himself in his wit, his penetration, or his judgment. Rather than pass unnoticed, the ungodly will boast of their iniquities and excesses; yea, (strange to say!) of iniquities they have not committed, and of excesses to which they have never arrived.]
The godly, on the other hand, “make their boast in the Lord”—
[They know, by bitter experience, that in themselves dwelleth no good thing, yea, nothing but what furnishes matter for the deepest humiliation. But they see in God sufficient to excite their devoutest adoration. Whether they contemplate the perfections of his nature, or the works of his hands, the wonders of his providence, or the riches of his grace, they are filled with wonder and astonishment; and, pouring contempt on all created excellencies, they exclaim, “O God! who is like unto thee [Note: Deuteronomy 32:31.Exodus 15:11.Micah 7:18.]?” “Thanks be to God, who always causeth us to triumph in Christ [Note: 2 Corinthians 2:14.]!”]

The Psalmist was the more induced to praise God in a public manner, from a consideration of

II.

The effect he hoped to produce by this means—

He did not expect any particular benefit to accrue to the proud—
[The proud, alas! are disgusted with even the mention of God’s name, provided it be with reverence and love: nor do they ever speak of him themselves, unless it be to profane his name in oaths and curses. Their aversion to hear of him increases according to the degree in which he is honoured. They will suffer us to speak somewhat of God as he is manifested in creation; but they do not like to be told of his love in redemption. They will bear to hear a little of God (though but little) in his works of providence; but they cannot endure to hear one syllable of his gloriously rich and sovereign grace. If we utter but a word expressive of admiration and love on account of his condescension in revealing himself to our souls, we forfeit at once all title to respectability, and become in their eyes the most contemptible of beings. They would be less offended with oaths and blasphemies and the grossest obscenity, than with one such an expression of love to God.]

But he hoped that to the humble his adorations would afford matter of unfeigned joy—
[The godly are not so free from pride, but that flattery sometimes finds access to their hearts, and proves a gratification to their unwary minds. But in their better seasons, when their airy dreams have vanished, and they obtain juster views of themselves, they most unfeignedly lothe and abhor themselves, and desire that God alone should be exalted. To be told of their own goodness is nauseous and unpalatable: but to hear the praises of their God and Saviour, this is delightful to their souls. It is this that endears to them the ministers of God: he who with the clearest evidence and richest unction exhibits to their view the glory and excellency of their God, will be regarded as their best friend: and every one who in sincerity labours to fulfil this office, will be “esteemed by them very highly in love for his work’s sake.”]
To stir up within ourselves a similar disposition, let us consider,

III.

His exhortation to co-operate with him in this blessed design—

He calls on all of us to unite with him in praising and adoring God: and his exhortation may well serve as an

Application to the foregoing subject. We ask then,
1.

Is it not a reasonable employment?

[Let any one call to mind the excellencies of God as they are described in Scripture, and then say whether it is not reasonable that we should exalt his name. But more particularly, let the wonders of redemption be surveyed (O wonders inexpressible, and surpassing all comprehension!); let the thought of God’s co-equal, co-eternal Son, becoming man, of his dying upon the cross, of his living again to make intercession for us in heaven; let the thought of this being done to deliver our souls from death, and to restore us to the favour of our offended Father; let this, I say, dwell upon the mind, and we shall see at once the reasonableness of this duty, and the utter unreasonableness of passing one day or one hour without renewed expressions of gratitude and thanksgiving.]

2. Is it not a delightful employment?

[Poor indeed is the mirth of this world, when compared with the joy of praising God. This is the work of all the glorified saints and angels: “they rest not day or night, saving, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God of Hosts!”
And if this be the employment of heaven, what must such an exercise be to us, but a heaven upon earth? It is indeed a foretaste of heaven, as all who have ever engaged in it are constrained to acknowledge: nor, if we were always thus engaged, would any trouble or sorrow be able to molest us: our very afflictions would rather give energy to our souls, and enlarge at once our subjects of praise, and our disposition to abound in it.]

3. Is it not a necessary employment?

[It is grievous on such a subject as this to insinuate any thing of an alarming nature: but, if men will not be “constrained by love,” we must endeavour to “persuade them by the terrors of the Lord.”
God declared to his people of old, that, if they would not serve him with joyfulness and gladness of heart for the abundance of all things which he had so liberally bestowed upon them, they should endure all the curses denounced in his law [Note: Deuteronomy 28:45; Deuteronomy 28:47.]. With how much greater force does this threatening come to us, if we neglect to praise him for the infinitely greater benefits he has conferred on us! We ourselves feel indignant if great and acknowledged virtues be despised, or eminent favours be disregarded. And shall God ever look with complacency on those who are blind to his excellencies, and insensible of his mercies? Whatever we may imagine to the contrary, none shall ever join the choir above, whose hearts have not been tuned to sing God’s praise below.]